A Friend More Loyal
by moms2398
Summary: Teal'C and Sam fall ill offworld. No spoilers. Teal'C and Daniel centered friendship story, with hints of 'ship. Rated for the occassional slip of the tongue...A special thanks to my betas: Incendia Mediocris and taylyn10...it's much better now that yo
1. Chapter 1

After a week in a very happy-go-lucky town, Teal'C had felt the need to get away. Even though he was now on _tritonan_ and no longer had a physical need to _kel-nor-reem_, he found that keeping up the practice allowed him to recharge when the Tau'ri became a little too boisterous. There was a near-by wooded area to which he retired after informing Lt. Colonel Mitchell, Lt. Colonel Carter and Daniel Jackson. It was on his way back, hours later, that he heard a noise.

He moved cautiously through the dense forest toward the sound, which was coming from near a stream. He did not think he had anything to fear from the local people, but one could never be too sure about local animals. He came around a tree to see a young woman sitting on a log next to the stream with her bare foot in the stream.

She was an adult but young. She wore a summer dress that showed her feminine curves in a complimentary way. Her hair was long and brownish-red and her head was down, looking at her foot with a pained expression. Her legs were bare as was the foot she had in the stream. The other foot was encased in a simple slipper-like shoe of pale fabric.

He made a noise to alert her to his presence.

She jumped and looked up at him with the palest green eyes he'd ever seen. Her eyes went wide when she saw him step out from behind the tree.

"Are you injured?" he asked.

She looked down at her foot. "It's just…silly really…I turned my ankle," her speech was accented slightly, almost like Vala Mal Doran's, similar to the rest of the people on this planet. "It'll be fine in a moment."

He walked over to her and knelt down. "I am Teal'C."

She nodded, seeming a bit frightened by him. "Elora," she touched the base her throat and bowed her head to him in as was her custom.

He looked into the water. "If I may…" he reached into the water and gently drew out her foot. He looked it over, trying not move it too much. Once, she took a deep breath that indicated some pain and he could see the swelling had begun.

"You are, indeed, injured. You should not walk on it."

She shook her head. "I'll be all right. The water's very cold and if I soak it for a little while, it should be fine." She offered a reassuring smile that did not extend to her eyes.

Teal'C inclined his head and allowed her to replace her foot in the water. Then he sat down near her.

After a long moment of silence, she spoke softly. "You don't have to stay with me. Really, I'll be fine."

Teal'C nodded his head. "If that is the case then you are no worse than if I leave. But if I leave and this is not the case, you will be left alone and unable to walk. I will wait."

"You don't have to –" She began to insist.

Teal'C raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. He bowed his head slightly. "I choose to."

She nodded and began to stare at the offending foot.

Teal'C looked at the scenery.

The sun was low in the sky when Elora took her foot out of the water again. The swelling had not gotten worse, but hadn't gone down any either. Teal'C watched as she rubbed it and observed the pain that crossed her face when she rubbed an area near her ankle, even though she barely touched it. He was impressed, though, that she did not make a sound.

He stood. "You cannot walk on your foot, Elora."

"I'll be fine, if you could find me a stick to lean on –"

Without waiting for her to finish, he picked her up and headed toward the village, careful to avoid contacting her injured foot with any kind of vegetation.

At first, she protested, then, when she realized that he wasn't going to put her down until they were in town, she relaxed a bit and found comfort in his help.

"Uh, Sam, Cameron," Daniel Jackson called as he stood by the door of the village elder's home. Cameron Mitchell and Samantha Carter were sitting with Velon, the village's eldest member and the leader of their community, drinking tea in toast to the successful week of trade negotiations. "You might want to look at this."

The two Air Force officers put their drinks down and went to the door.

"Didn't we tell him, no more strays?" Cameron remarked.

Sam grinned slightly as she pushed passed Daniel toward Teal'C. By this time, SG1 was not the only ones to see this 6'4" Jaffa warrior carrying a woman who looked tiny by comparison. Other villagers had come out, including a man, who called. "Elora!"

Teal'C stopped walking when Sam and the man reached him. "She is injured," he said simply. The man gave a great look of distrust to him and Sam, and then motioned for them to follow him.

They entered his house, only a few doors down from Velon's, where Teal'C cautiously placed Elora on a chair. "It is her ankle," he announced and stepped back.

A woman rushed to her side and gingerly took Elora's foot in her hand.

"Elora," the man said, not taking his eyes off Teal'C. "Who is responsible for this?"

"_I am_, Father. I was on my way home and I lost my footing. It's merely a sprain, Mother, really. I've soaked it already. Master Teal'C carried me all the way from Lungren Stream."

Sam didn't miss the look of gratitude and adoration Elora gave him, but Teal'C merely bowed his head respectfully.

"It is simply _not done_," Elora's father insisted.

"Would you have had me leave her there to fend for herself?" Teal'C asked in a tone that all of SG1 – hell, all of SGC on Earth – knew. It was one that spoke volumes: _I am trying to maintain peace here, but don't try me._

"Which I had, in fact, told him to do," Elora said. "But he wouldn't allow me to walk on it." She smiled at him again, then looked more sternly at her father. "He probably kept me from injuring it further, Father."

"She's right, Galoren," Elora's mother said. "She wouldn't have made it from Lungren Stream here tonight on this ankle. We should be offering the off-worlder our thanks."

"Teal'C, Mother," Elora said, gently. "His name is Teal'C."

Elora's mother stood and approached Teal'C. "Master Teal'C, please accept our gratitude for helping our daughter. And forgive my husband for being over-protective of our only daughter."

Galoren huffed. Teal'C bowed his head, graciously to Elora's mother, then he did the same with Elora. Finally, satisfied that he had helped see her into capable hands, he left their home. Sam stayed for a moment to offered her help, but was assured by Elora and her mother that she would be well taken care of. Seeing she wasn't needed, Sam went after Teal'C.

"Send him off to _kel-nor-reem_," she arrived at Velon's home to hear Cameron Mitchell say. "And he comes back with a girl in his arms."

Daniel grinned.

"And a pretty one at that." Cameron added.

Daniel hid the wider smile behind his hand and coughed.

Teal'C merely looked at Mitchell. "I had not noticed. Only that she was injured and needed assistance."

Sam couldn't help it. "Come on, Teal'C, you didn't _notice_ she was pretty?"

"Danny, lend him your glasses," Cam motioned. "Teal'C's got something wrong with his eyesight."

Daniel looked at his friend with a twinkle in his eyes. Sam and Cameron walked back into the house, but Daniel stopped Teal'C, momentarily. "Seriously, Teal'C, you didn't notice?"

Teal'C merely raised an eyebrow at Daniel and one corner of his mouth quirked upward.

Daniel nodded. "Right." With a chuckle, he walked back into the cottage, followed by Teal'C.

The next day, Velon hosted a fantastic supper to celebrate the new trade alliance between his people and the Tau'ri. This would be SG1's last night on Aleronan, or P6S-349. They would return to the Stargate Command in the morning.

The meal was held outside in the village marketplace on large communal tables filled to the brim with a wide variety of foods. The members of SG1 were encouraged to sample everything, including some of the local beverages. They'd all had the tea several times, but this was harder stuff – something like a mix between wine and grain alcohol. It had a powerful punch.

Cameron was feeling pretty good when he nudged Daniel. "Say, isn't that Teal'C's girlfriend over there?"

Daniel looked to a table where women who were serving the food moved to and from. Sitting up on the table and handing items to the servers was the young woman that Teal'C had carried into the village the evening before. Her foot was bandaged and resting on a chair. She was laughing and joking with the other women.

Daniel smiled, sloppily. "Yep, uh, yes, I do believe that may be her. She sure is pretty, isn't she, Sam?" he called across Teal'C to where Sam was sitting.

"Whos'at…Who's da…" Sam took a deep breath and frowned. "To whom are you referring?" she enunciated carefully.

Daniel pointed. Teal'C followed Daniel's finger and saw Elora. He looked back at Daniel with an amused look in his eyes. His Tau'ri friends could be so transparent – especially, after one too many drinks.

Sam looked over. "Yup. She shore is---sure is. If you're into girls anyway," she giggled.

Daniel rolled his eyes at Teal'C as Sam collapsed in a fit of giggles.

Teal'C raised an eyebrow. "I can see that you are not going to let this go until I go inquire after her health."

Daniel looked at Cam, who nodded. "You could say that."

Teal'C bowed his head and stood. He then walked toward the table where Elora sat.

"'Course, we didn't tell him we aren't going to let this go _after_ he goes to 'inquire after her health', either," Cam said.

Daniel put his finger to his lips and "ssshhhh"ed him, which led to Sam's second fit of giggles.

Teal'C confidently approached the table where Elora sat. While she was very pretty, she was a stranger and Teal'C felt no need to pursue a relationship with someone so different or from a place so distant. He was going to ask about her foot and wish her a pleasant evening. That is all.

"Elora," he pronounced her name softly.

She smiled at him, her skin changing slightly to an endearing shade of pink. "Master Teal'C, are you enjoying your evening?"

"I am. You are well?" he glanced at her foot.

Her smile widened. "I am, thank you. A sprain. It should be completely mended in a week, if I stay off of it."

He nodded. "You are most fortunate."

She glanced down. She could feel herself warm under the intensity of his gaze. "I am. Who knows how badly it would have been injured by the time I had arrived home, if you had not helped me so kindly."

Teal'C suddenly felt as if the liquor had affected him as it had his friends. His head was beginning to swim. "It was my pleasure to do so," he said, but his voice sounded far away from him.

Elora's green eyes suddenly looked at him with concern, her eyebrows knitted together. "Master Teal'C, are you well?"

He shook his head to clear it, but to no avail. "I think – I –"

Elora cried out as Teal'C crumpled to the ground at her feet.

"Teal'C!" Cameron shot to his feet, followed by Daniel and Sam. His head was instantly clear now that he perceived danger. He rushed over to his friend and arrived as Elora sank to the ground to cradle Teal'C head in her hands. "What happened?" he demanded.

Elora's eyes were wide with fear. She shook her head. "We were talking…He just…I don't know…!"

"Cam!"

Cameron turned at the sound of Daniel's shout of concern. He couldn't believe what he saw when he turned around.

Daniel was holding an unconscious Samantha Carter in his arms.

"What the hell!"


	2. Chapter 2

General Hank Landry stood in the control room of the SGC. It was late. Insanely late. Too late for him to be working, but there he was. He was staring at the image of Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell on the monitor in front of him.

"I think it might be some sort of reaction to something they ate. We were all drinking the same thing, but there were so many different foods, there's no way to know."

"And how long have they been out?"

Mitchell looked at his watch. "About an hour now, sir. They've both been taken to Velon's house and put into the guest beds. One of their healers is with them, but I'd rather have one of our own look at them."

Landry nodded. "I'll send Doctor Rush with a HazMat team. Just in case you've been exposed to some local bug."

Mitchell nodded. "So far, Daniel and I haven't had any symptoms, but it doesn't hurt to be cautious."

Landry nodded. "Keep me informed. Landry out."

Elora sat next to Teal'C's bed and wiped his forehead with a cool, damp sponge. She looked up to see her father in the doorway of Velon's second guest room.

"Elora, you must return to your home," he commanded softly.

"No, Father," she said, looking back down.

"Elora," he hissed. "This is not done. This man is a stranger and there you sit like he was family or, or, more familiar."

Elora's eyes darkened as she looked up. "This man is a friend, Father. Not a stranger. He found me in the forest and stayed with me until almost dark. Then he carried me to your home without thought of payment. He is just like the parable, Father. You know the one about kindness for kindness sake? How can we not do the same for him?"

"If you stay with him, people will say---" he paused at her sharp look. "things, Elora."

Elora smiled, darkly. "Let people say what they will. I am beyond marrying age anyway. They will say nothing I have not already heard; only this time I will be helping a friend. Go home, Father, and tell Mother that I am well, but I will stay to care for Master Teal'C and his friend."

Galoren turned around to see Cameron Mitchell standing there. He nodded curtly and left.

"Thank you," Cam said to her. "You don't have to stay if---."

Elora's eyes were snapping again. "I don't _have_ to do anything, Master Colonel, but I _choose_ to stay with Master Teal'C. He didn't _have_ to stay with me but he did. It is the least I can do."

Cam held his hands up in a surrender motion. "Whoa, there, missy. I didn't mean to get your hackles up," his blue eyes narrowed. "I was trying to say thank you."

Elora looked back down at Teal'C, unconscious on the bed in front of her. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "You must be concerned about your friend."

"I am. Both of them."

She nodded. "Master Daniel is in the next room with Mistress Samantha and Geta, the healer."

Cameron nodded. "Has she been to see Teal'C?"

"Not yet, she went to see Mistress Samantha because a woman's constitution is usually less resistant and more can go wrong."

Cameron's eyebrows went up with a glimpse of a smile. "I don't know how to take that exactly."

Elora's eyes narrowed as she examined his face. "You choose humor? Your friends--!"

Again, Cam's hands went up. "It's a defense mechanism, sister. Relax. I'll be right back."

Cam didn't actually go anywhere. He moved two feet to the left and looked into the room where Sam lay unconscious with Daniel at her side.

Geta, the female healer, was washing her hands and heading out on her way to Teal'C's room.

"Geta?" Cameron asked.

"Yes, Master Colonel? I'm afraid I cannot give you any news. Perhaps when your own healer arrives…all I can tell you is that it is not an illness I have seen before. Perhaps it is something common on your planet?"

Mitchell shook his head. "She might be able to tell you that, but not me," he said gesturing towards Sam. "One of our doctors is on her way. Maybe she can tell us something."

Geta nodded. "Well, I am not so proud that I cannot admit that I need help. As for right now, Mistress Samantha does not seem to be in any immediate danger. She is unconscious, yes, but her heartbeat and breathing are strong and steady. Now let's have a look at Master Teal'C." She moved into Teal'C's room and Elora quickly vacated the chair where she was sitting.

Mitchell didn't fail to notice the pain that flickered across Elora's concerned face as she stepped quickly on her injured foot, but the woman did not make a sound. Geta clucked at her. "Sit back down, child, before you reinjure that ankle."

To Mitchell's eye, Geta's examination seemed thorough, but he wasn't a doctor. She looked more concerned when she looked up from Teal'C.

"His breathing and heartbeat are strong, but he has a fever, something Mistress Samantha doesn't have. Elora, you are doing the right thing to keep him cool, but we will need to get him in as few clothes as possible. Turn away, Elora. Master Colonel, help me get his clothing off."

"It's Colonel Mitchell, ma'am. Or Cameron. No Master."

Geta's eyes examined the younger man. "Well, then Colonel Mitchell, or Cameron. Please move your _vlerusht_ and help me."

Mitchell didn't need to know the word to know what it meant. It was not long before Teal'C was stripped down and covered waist down by a thin blanket.

Geta turned to Elora and looked at her, fiercely. "I take it you are determined to be his nurse?"

Elora nodded, defiantly, her eyes challenging the older woman.

"Then you will need to keep him cool. Use the sponge as you have but you must include his neck, chest and arms. If you can, use your fingers to drip a few drops into his mouth every now and again. Perhaps his reflexes will cause him to swallow and we won't have to worry about him becoming parched."

Elora nodded and moved back into the chair beside his bed and began to dip the sponge into a bowl of water.

Geta frowned. "I want to check Mistress Samantha again, Colonel Mitchell. Please stay here with Elora and Master Teal'C while I go next door. The room is too small for many people. Three is enough."

After Geta left, Elora said, without looking up. "She wants you to be the chaperone."

Cameron's eyebrows rose. "Excuse me?"

"According to our customs, it is highly improper for an unmarried woman to be alone with a man for any length of time, and more so when the man is," she looked at Teal'C's chest and blushed.

Cameron nodded. "So she's watching after your honor. Or Teal'C's."

Elora looked up quickly to see a quirk in Cameron Mitchell's lips. The smile did not reach his eyes and now, Elora understood his earlier words. "Perhaps, you're right." She nodded, solemnly.

_Teal'C struggled against the heat and fought to clear his mind. He could not move and it infuriated him. He wanted to strike out at whatever restrained him. He tried to cry out, to rage at that which held him captive…_

Dr. Rush was on her first off-world mission since completing medical school and beginning her work as a doctor – instead of a nurse – at the SGC. Her first mission and she was in full HazMat gear. She was nervous about this being SG1 she was treating, but she was confident of her abilities and knew that this wasn't her first time treating them. She and her four-man team had been met at the gate by Lt. Colonel Mitchell and an older man named Velon. The worry etched into Mitchell's impossibly light blue eyes made her more nervous and more resolute.

Elora sat on the edge of Teal'C's bed. "Propriety be damned," she pronounced crisply when she'd decided to move from the chair to the bed so that she could reach him better. She could see from his face that this 'sleep' he was in, was not a restful one. This both concerned and soothed her. She was concerned that he would use what precious strength he possessed to fight and would only make himself more ill. But she was soothed by the knowledge that he would not succumb to this illness willingly. She hummed slightly as she bathed his face, neck, shoulders, arms and chest with fresh cool water. She wanted to sooth him so that he would use his strength to get better.

_He heard a sound from far away. It sounded like faint music. He paused in his struggles to listen, to try to decide where it was coming from…_

Cameron Mitchell had to smile at the sight of Elora leaning across Teal'C. This woman hadn't left his friend's side. She was a loyal one. It was her presence (and Daniel's persuasive words) that convinced him to go to the gate and hasten the doctor here himself. "Here they are, Doc," he said softly. "Teal'C's here and Sam's next door."

Geta came out of Sam's room. "You are the Tau'ri healer?"

"Dr. Rush," she said. "You are Geta?"

Geta nodded. "I hope your medicine works better than ours," she said grimly. "Mistress Samantha remains unconscious, but other than an hour or so last night, has had no signs of fever." Geta motioned to Teal'C's room. She frowned at Elora, but continued to speak to Rush. "Master Teal'C, however, has been with fever all night and is still. Neither of them has awakened for even a moment. We've tried our best to keep them comfortable."

Rush nodded. She moved in to look at Teal'C.

Elora jumped when she saw this creature in a large orange suit and a human face enter, but the face smiled. "I'm Doctor Rush. I need to examine Teal'C."

Elora stood and moved to the side. "He does not rest." She glanced up at Cameron, then back to Rush.

Rush looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"It isn't as though he sleeps. If it were a sleep, I would say that his dreams trouble him. He fights; his breathing is labored, like a struggle. He does not rest."

Rush nodded and began her examination. Teal'C's fever was high and he was fighting dehydration as well as whatever demon was chasing him. She started an IV drip and took blood samples. Then she moved to Sam.

Sam was clearly suffering from the same illness, but without the fever. Rush took blood samples from her as well and connected an IV to stave off dehydration.

When Rush came out of the rooms, Cameron Mitchell met her at the door. "I'd like to get samples from you two as well." She said as he asked, "Well, Doc?"

She shook her head and followed Cam to a chair where he exposed his arm. "They both appear to be stable. Suffering from some sort of infection, whether it is viral or bacterial, I won't be sure until I run some tests. Did they eat anything out of the ordinary?"

"We were at a feast on an alien planet," Daniel Jackson said from behind her. "I think that if it had been the food or the drink, we would all be sick. I can't think of anything they ate that Cam and I didn't."

Rush nodded and finished with Mitchell, indicating that Daniel sit. "Did you guys stay together the entire time you were here?"

"Yes, of course," Mitchell said.

"So we can rule out surroundings," Rush started as she drew blood from Daniel.

"This is not true," Elora said softly from behind Mitchell.

The three humans turned to look at her. She stood up straight. "Forgive me for listening, but Master Teal'C was alone in the forest when he found me."

Daniel looked pointedly at Mitchell as he stood. "And Sam went with him into Elora's house when he came back."

Elora's eye widened. "You can't think that my family, my Mother's home, could be the cause of this!"

"No," Daniel assured her. "No, it's not that. It's…it's just the only time they weren't with us. You see, if Teal'C had been the only one to get sick, then we could assume it had something to do with the forest – which it still could," he added quickly. "But because Sam was only away from us when she met you and Teal'C in the courtyard and went with you to your home…"

Elora studied him. After a long moment, she nodded. "At any rate, it must be ruled out as a precaution." She took a deep breath. Then she looked at the Doctor and then Geta. "Could my family be in danger?"

Rush shook her head. "It could be something that you are all immune to."

Daniel nodded. "Like the Native Americans who were the first to meet the first Europeans in the Caribbean. They did not have the immunities that the Europeans had built up and subsequently died of diseases that would only make one of the explorers nauseous."

Mitchell shot Daniel a look.

Daniel looked at him, askance. "What – oh! Not that Teal'C or Sam are in any danger of –"

"Not if I can help it, Dr. Jackson," Rush said. She looked at the case that held the samples. "I'm going to take these back to the lab myself. My team will look around the town and take samples."

"Hey, Doc," Mitchell called out. "If it's this immunity thing that Jackson's talking about, why don't we have it?"

She shook her head and held up the sample case. "I don't know. Hopefully, this will tell us."

_He was weary of fighting…the song was there in the distance…he could not find the singer…he wanted to sleep…_

Elora had sat with Teal'C for seven straight days. The samples Dr. Rush had initially taken did not yield any results and the doctor's teams did not find anything that would explain this mysterious illness. Now Doctor Rush and several different teams of scientists and doctors were testing everything from woodland flowers to local cuisine, even the dust from the road, to find an answer.

Daniel and Cameron were the only ones who could convince Elora to leave for a few minutes. They'd both instructed her to stop referring to them in the formal despite her protests about propriety (to which Daniel pointed out she was spending time alone with an unmarried, _half-naked_ man, making her laugh). She left long enough to bathe and change her clothes, perhaps to eat something, but she took most of her meals in Teal'C's room. She'd sat with Samantha a few times while Daniel and Cameron talked with Dr. Rush in Teal'C's room, but Samantha, while still unconscious, had never developed the fever and seemed to rest peacefully.

She sat singing, softly to him, when Daniel walked in and sat in the chair at the end of the bed. She looked at the handsome man, whose face was drawn with concern over his friends.

"You and Teal'C are good friends," she said. She'd never tried to talk to him about his relationships with Teal'C or Samantha.

Daniel nodded. "He's like a brother to me. Just like Sam's like a sister. I didn't have any siblings growing up…they're the most family I've ever really had."

Elora felt his sadness. She remained silent knowing nothing she said could make him feel better.

"I—it's frustrating, you know?" he said after a long time.

She nodded. "Not knowing."

He nodded. "Not knowing. It's the worst."

She smiled, sadly. "You and I may be of the same fabric, Daniel. I never had any patience with the unknown. I always needed to know the answers and if someone couldn't tell me, I would find other ways to get them…My father went gray before my twelfth year."

Daniel nodded. "I was the same way. Always digging for answers…" he chuckled at some inner joke.

Elora looked at him, waiting, not understanding but offering a small smile, nonetheless.

"Thank you," Daniel said suddenly.

She frowned. "For what?"

Daniel looked at Teal'C. The entire time they'd been talking Elora had been bathing his chest and arms with the sponge, in a soft rhythmic pattern. "For this. For staying. For singing to him."

She breathed a small chuckle. "I'm not sure you could call what I do singing, but I try to make a happy noise."

Daniel's smile, this time was genuine. "It's beautiful. Hopefully, it will guide him back."

She nodded. She opened her mouth.

"DANIEL!" Cameron yelled from next door.

Daniel looked at her and she nodded curtly, then he sprinted out, knocking over his chair, in the process. He disappeared into Sam's room. Cam then sprinted out and the front door slammed.

After a minute, Elora stood and moved to look into the door. "Daniel? Do you need…?"

Daniel's eyes glistened as he smiled up at her. Mistress Samantha was sitting up in bed, fully awake.

Dr. Rush and Geta followed Cameron Mitchell into the house, quickly. Elora moved out of the hall, back into Teal'C's room as they approached.

"Your friend is awake," she told him. "Such a strong man and a woman has overcome the same illness faster, tsk, tsk," she chided. "I guess my mother was right. Men are really big babies." She resumed bathing him in cool water. "I wish you would wake, too, Teal'C. I miss your eyes." She sighed. "I don't know if you noticed but all the women in the village noticed you first when your team walked into the village. Even my mother admired you."

She smiled to herself. "I miss the way you smile without actually smiling. I'd never seen someone do that before. You are so reserved; quiet strength and your friends need that strength, even if you need to lean on them." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "You could even lean on me, Teal'C, though I'm not much."

She settled back and hummed as she began to move the sponge down his arms.

_He wanted to fight…he needed to…he was just so tired…_

Sam was up and sitting in the room with Teal'C. She felt tired and didn't remember anything from the seven days of unconsciousness. She worried about her friend and worried about Cameron Mitchell and Daniel, too. She felt guilty that she'd put them through any pain.

Elora was watching Sam. "Are you feeling better?"

Sam looked up from Teal'C and gave the woman a meager smile. "Yeah. I wish Teal'C would wake up."

Elora nodded. "I told him that."

Sam smiled knowingly. "I thought I heard you talking."

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you—"

Sam shook her head. "No, it's not that. I'm glad. Maybe this is like a coma and he can hear us, or at least sense that we're he—what's wrong."

Elora's face had suddenly darkened with concern and she stood. "Daniel! Cameron!" she shouted.

Sam stood. "What is it, Elora!"

"He has stopped breathing!"


	3. Chapter 3

Daniel stood in the hall holding Sam as Dr. Rush and Geta worked on reviving Teal'C. Elora stood silently to the side of the door with her eyes closed, a pained expression on her face. Cameron was assisting Dr. Rush and Geta.

Samantha was holding on to Daniel, willing the tears of fear and frustration not to come. "Daniel…"

"I know, Sam."

"Jack will never forgive us."

One corner of Daniel's mouth quirked up on its own. "If Jack were here, he'd be screaming at Teal'C right now."

Sam sniffled. "Ordering him to wake up."

"Well, Cameron's probably doing the same thing."

Sam pulled back. "Daniel, I think we should try to convince Dr. Rush and General Landry that Teal'C needs to be moved to SGC. He could stay in an isolation room and we could take better care of him."

Daniel nodded. "And what if whatever he has _is _contagious? What if it's something that Cam and I are carrying, but are not symptomatic? Presumably, you have immunity now, but what should we take a chance before we know what it is?"

Sam shook her head. "I know, I know…it's just…damn!" She hugged Daniel again.

After what seemed like forever, Dr. Rush came out of the room and went straight to Daniel and Samantha. "He's stable. He gave us a good scare, but he's breathing on his own and stable, for now. The good thing is that his fever has finally broken. Go on in."

Daniel and Sam rushed past the doctor to where Cameron sat next to Teal'C's bed. Dr. Rush smiled at Elora tiredly and squeezed Elora's arm lightly as she went back to the lab she'd set up in the house next door.

Elora waited until the hallway was completely empty. She sank to the floor and wept. This is where Daniel found her a while later, sitting, cried out and numb.

"Elora," he asked. "Are you all right?"

She sighed shakily. "I am relieved."

He smiled. "Me, too, but it's not over yet."

She nodded.

"If you want to go home…"

She looked at him sharply.

He smiled. "I didn't think you would. Come in. None of us can sing. Besides, maybe you can teach us some of the stories behind your songs."

"And this benefactor, Yaloreen," Daniel was talking to Elora about a story she'd told him. Sam and Cameron were getting food for all of them and Sam was getting more blood drawn for tests. "She protects you from all dangers?"

Elora shook her head. "There are some who believe she watches over us still, but many of us know that she has long since gone. Some give her credit whenever something of great fortune happens."

"But not you."

She smiled and shook her head. "I'm not the superstitious kind. My mother, however, lit a fire in her honor when Teal'C brought me home from the forest."

Daniel was fascinated, as he was with all ancient cultures. "So why do you think she has gone?"

Elora touched Teal'C's shoulder. Days after Teal'C had stopped breathing, he was still without fever. With the fever gone, she no longer needed keep him cool with the sponge baths, but she felt the need to keep a hand on him, just in case he stopped breathing again and she wasn't looking at him. She smiled at Daniel. "Because there is no danger here any longer. Other than day to day dangers, like falling off a log and spraining your ankle," she chuckled.

Daniel looked down at her almost always-bare feet, no longer encased in bandages and smiled. "So she came to you and drove away the Goa'uld?"

She nodded.

"How, if she never showed herself to anyone? Was there a war? An uprising? A rebellion?"

Elora shook her head. "My people are far too peaceful for that. She simply…" She stopped and her eyes moved without actually looking out. Then, her eyes widened. "Oh, Daniel!"

Daniel jumped to his feet. "What is it?" He stood and looked at Teal'C, whose chest rose and fell. Then he looked her. She was pale.

"What is it, Elora?" he demanded.

Elora explained. "Yaloreen made the Goa'uld and his warriors sick. The warriors died, but their master recovered enough to leave." Her eyes were panic-stricken. "You told me that Teal'C used to serve the Goa'uld!"

Daniel turned on his heel and ran out of the room.

Sam was complaining to Cam about feeling like a pincushion when Daniel burst into the room. "Doctor Rush! Sam! When Jolinar died he left a protein marker in your blood right?"

"Yes."

"Does Teal'C still have that marker? Even though he doesn't have a Goa'uld larva anymore?"

Sam looked at Dr. Rush, who nodded. "Yes. It is present in Master Bra'tac as well. It seems whoever has any kind of joining of any length of time gets it."

"Why, Daniel?"

Daniel looked at him. "Remember how Velon told us that the Goa'uld left this planet over 2000 years ago and never returned. Yet we know there is naquadah on this planet and it's not too far away from the territories of some very powerful system lords?"

"Yes. We all thought that was weird, but who knows why any of those guys did anything." Cameron frowned.

"Remember I told you about the first Europeans in North America?"

"Yes, and I was creeped out by it."

"Well, the Aleronans aren't the Native Americans…Teal'C and Sam are."

"What are you trying to say, Dr. Jackson?" Dr. Rush asked. "The Aleronans have an immunity that Colonel Carter and Teal'C do not have? We've checked for all sorts…" A light suddenly came into her eyes.

"Yes!" Daniel said breathlessly.

Rush looked at the sample she'd just taken from Sam. "Something here reacted to the protein marker in their system; that explains why nobody else got it, but what?"

"I—I don't know. I left before I got that part of the story." He turned around and ran back out, followed closely by Dr. Rush, Sam and Cameron.

He could feel strength returning to him…he was biding his time…could he still hear the song… 

Elora stared at Teal'C as Daniel sat next to her.

"Tell me the rest," Daniel instructed.

Elora glanced at him. Her face was a study in guilt, fear and sadness. "Yaloreen communicated with the healer of our village. She gave her a recipe for a potion that our people could consume with the Goa'uld and his warriors. She instructed our people to have a great festival and invite all to this feast – much like we invited you…" Tears glistened in her eyes, but did not fall.

Daniel took her hand. "Go on."

"The Goa'uld came and brought his best and most worthy warriors. Everyone ate and drank. The potion was handed out to all and all drank heartily," Daniel could tell by her pacing that this was an old recitation. "Before the end of the evening, the Goa'uld and all who served him fell. Days, later, when the Goa'uld woke and found that all his Jaffa were dead and buried; he left, never to be seen again." Elora looked at Daniel, then up to Cameron. "Please believe me that I had not remembered this until Daniel asked me to share the stories."

Cam smiled and nodded. "I believe you. Someone must have had this potion."

"Everyone did."

Elora, Daniel, Cameron, Sam and Dr. Rush turned to see Velon standing at the door. "It has become the traditional drink of celebrations. We would have never served it if we'd known…"

Dr. Rush approached the elder. "I'm sure you wouldn't have, but I need some of this drink. Maybe, I can find out what about it is affecting him – "

Velon nodded. "Come, you may have all you want."

Cameron watched the two of them leave and looked back at Elora. "You mean it's that funky wine?"

Elora frowned. "Funky?"

"The wine that was served at the banquet," Daniel explained.

Elora nodded.

Sam turned to Cam. "I'm going to see if I can help Dr. Rush."

"Sam, you should rest," Daniel warned.

"I will, Daniel, when Teal'C is better. When we get back to the SGC, I'll spend a week in bed if you want, but I need to help."

Daniel nodded. He squeezed Elora's hand and released it. Then he leaned back in his chair and the three of them sat in silence watching Teal'C breath. After a long while, the silence was muted by Elora's soft, barely there, singing.

Elora was sitting on the floor, asleep, with her head resting on Teal'C's shoulder when Daniel came back from checking on Sam and her progress with Dr. Rush. It had been days since they found the cause and they were still trying to figure out exactly what chemical reaction caused the illness. There had been talk of moving Teal'C to the SGC now that they were fairly certain that there was no contagion, but Velon insisted that they not move him unnecessarily.

Daniel knew if they did come up with a solution soon, they would return to the SGC, despite Velon's objections. He also knew it would be a blow to Elora. He'd come specifically to soften the blow, but now, seeing her asleep and still guarding his dear friend, he knew it could wait, at least until she woke up.


	4. Chapter 4

'_Please, Teal'C…miss you…Dan…' all he could make out were bits…a woman's voice…soft singing. He wanted to find her…he began to rage again…_

"His fever has returned," Dr. Rush announced. "We've got to move him back to the SGC where I can monitor him properly." They'd found what they thought would be the antidote and, after several days of testing, had decided to give it to Teal'C, to no avail.

Elora stood in the back of the room and listened as her new friends planned to take Teal'C back to their home. Guilt weighed heavily on her. Her people, without meaning to, had caused the fall of this great warrior. Her peaceful, happy, welcoming people may have inadvertently caused the death of the strongest warrior they'd ever met. And Elora felt completely and irrationally responsible.

Dr. Rush moved out of the room to begin the preparations to transport him with Cameron. Sam went back to their lab to continue something she'd been working on when word had come of Teal'C's turn for the worse.

Daniel stood, alone, over his friend's bed. He didn't seem to be aware of Elora at all and she didn't move to interrupt his thoughts. Finally, he sniffed and turned to look at her.

Elora couldn't meet his eyes. He scrutinized her through the top half of his glasses, with his head tilted down, his lips slightly pursed and his eyebrows up.

"This isn't your fault, Elora," he murmured softly. "It isn't anyone's fault. No one could have known. We all know this. Please don't blame yourself."

Silently, a tear escaped and rolled down her face. She couldn't speak.

He moved to stand next to her. "You've been here for weeks. Yaloreen only knows what it's done to your reputation in your village," he borrowed a phrase her people used. "But you refused to leave him. You have our gratitude, Elora. Not our blame."

Elora's head was still down as she turned into his chest. He wrapped his arms around the small woman and held her as she cried, silently.

Today, they were leaving.

Elora moved the sponge over Teal'C's chest, humming softly, knowing this was the last day she would be permitted to care for him. Her eyes went down to her pale hand, smoothing cool water across his dark chest and she sighed. She had cried out all her emotions with Daniel yesterday and had resigned herself to whatever fate held in store. She moved her eyes up the curve of his chest to the pulse in his neck to the strength of his jaw, the fullness of his lips with their way of smiling without smiling…

She frowned. Was he smiling? Her eyes shot up to his eyes, which were slightly open and looking at her. She gasped and started to pull her hands off his chest, but his hand, strong but gentle, wrapped around one of her wrists.

"Where am I?" he croaked, hoarsely.

"Velon's home," she whispered, still in shock. "You've been very ill."

He closed his eyes.

"NO!" she cried out, leaning across his chest toward his face. "Please don't go…"

He opened his eyes again. "This position is not appropriate, Elora."

She realized, then, that she was practically lying on top of him. He was naked from the waist up and she was lying on him! She gasped and straightened, and then she noticed the smile that almost wasn't there again and felt bolder. "Well, why not?" she smiled back at him. "Don't go anywhere."

She stood and moved to the window. She knew that Daniel and Cameron were outside. "Daniel! He's awake!"

The two Tau'ri men looked over, dumbfounded for a moment, then bound back inside the house.

Elora moved back to Teal'C's side and wiped his forehead. "Don't you close your eyes until they get here."

The words were barely out of her mouth when they appeared.

There was a great feeling of celebration in the entire village. Teal'C, though conscious, was transported, via stretcher – despite his vehement protests that he could walk – through the Chappa'ai. Elora went to her parent's home to tell them that she was going home and then she did. Confident that Teal'C would soon be completely recovered and would be well-cared for by the Tau'ri, she took a long, hot bath and collapsed on her bed.

She was exhausted but she found herself unable to sleep. She looked into her heart and found a jumble of emotions. Finally, she rose from her bed and lit a fire to Yaloreen. She smiled at what her mother would say to see her giving in to what she'd often called a foolish superstition. She made a soft wish for her Tau'ri friends, and that one special Jaffa.

Elora's mind went back to the day in the forest. She remembered being in awe of Teal'C. She smiled as she remembered how it felt to be held by him, even if only to be carried out of the forest. She wished she had been able to spend more time with him – while he was awake.

Elora stood when she realized that she was falling asleep in front of the fire and willed her feet to take her to her bed, where she really collapsed. After weeks, she finally really slept.

Teal'C emerged from the gate with Daniel Jackson and looked around. The peaceful planet of Aleronan was as peaceful as the first time he'd come through weeks earlier. He'd come to pay his respects to the people of this planet, who cared for him while he'd been sick. He was pleased to personally deliver the final copy of the signed trade pact.

They moved into the village and were greeted heartily by everyone they met. Everyone asked about Teal'C's health and the health of "Mistress Samantha". Teal'C was pleased to tell everyone they were both fully recovered. He and Daniel stopped at Velon's home and called inside to the elder.

Velon's face was split with a smile. "My good friends!" he smiled. "Welcome!"

"We've brought the final treaty," Daniel said after exchanging greetings. Teal'C gave one of his half-bows and handed the paper to Velon.

"May the Aleronans and the Tau'ri enjoy many years of peace and friendship," Teal'C pronounced.

Velon nodded. "May the Jaffa join us in that friendship. Without the wine." The old man's smile widened.

Teal'C's eyebrow rose and Daniel grinned. "Indeed," Teal'C said.

They sat at Velon's table, drank tea, and talked of trivial things for a little while. After a time, Velon started telling Daniel a historical story and Teal'C noticed Elora's father, Galoren, outside the window. He excused himself and walked outside.

Galoren looked at Teal'C begrudgingly.

Teal'C nodded to Galoren.

"She's not here," he said shortly.

Teal'C raised an eyebrow.

"She's spending too much time at Lungren Stream these days. She always went there as a child to daydream, but it seems she does it more these days. Perhaps you can tell her to get her head out of the skies and back to her duties."

Teal'C took the offering of peace and nodded. Galoren nodded briskly back and walked away. Teal'C returned inside long enough to tell Daniel that he would be back in a while and headed toward the tranquil woods.

Elora sat looking at the stream, soaking her feet in the cool water. She heard a sound and looked up to see Teal'C. With a smile, she looked back down.

"It is good to see you, again, Master Teal'C."

Teal'C sat down next to her. "It is agreeable to see you again, Mistress Elora."

Her eyebrows shot up. "I hoped that you would not think of me so formally."

"I do not think of you formally, Elora. I merely returned the salutation."

She closed her eyes and smiled. "I was trying to be proper." She looked at him. "After everything, I don't know why."

Teal'C nodded. "DanielJackson has told me of everything that occurred during my illness."

Elora looked at the water again. "I hope he didn't exaggerate."

"He told me that you never left my side."

She blushed. "So he did exaggerate."

Teal'C sat looking at her until she glanced over to him. Then he locked eyes with her and held her gaze for a long moment. "Thank you," he said.

Elora smiled, shyly. "You are most welcome," she returned.

They sat quietly for a while. She started to hum, then stopped, suddenly embarrassed for him to hear her now that he was awake.

"I remember hearing you sing."

She looked at him, shocked. "Really?"

"In fact, I kept hearing a woman's voice. It must have been yours."

She scrutinized him. "You are truly well?"

Teal'C smiled, a real smile, and nodded. "I am."

Elora nodded and looked back to her feet.

They sat in silence until almost dark, then stood and walked back to the village wordlessly together.

Elora happily walked Daniel and Teal'C back to the gate. They had both promised her and Velon to return often. When they got to the gate, Daniel dialed out. He then turned to Elora and pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you, for everything," he said.

She smiled. "Thank _you_, for everything." she returned. She reached up and kissed his cheek.

They parted and Daniel went up the steps to the gate. Teal'C looked down at this diminutive female, with the pale skin, palest green eyes he'd ever seen and long brownish-red hair that flowed freely down her back.

She looked up at him and said. "I am glad you are well."

He nodded, slightly. "Thank you, Elora."

She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She squeezed and he looked down, smelling the sunny fragrance of her hair. He put his hand in her hair and felt its thickness.

She stepped back and blushed prettily.

He touched her cheek wordlessly and leaned down as she reached up. He didn't allow her a kiss on the cheek though. Instead, his lips met hers in the softest of kisses.

She sighed and touched her hand to his chest as they separated. He touched her cheek, then bowed to her and moved up the steps to the gate and, together with Daniel, walked through the event horizon.

As Daniel descended the ramp at Stargate Command, he looked to Teal'C. "I don't think you could find a friend more loyal," he smiled at his friend.

"You are mistaken, DanielJackson," Teal'C said, keeping his gaze straight ahead. "I have four."

Daniel smiled and clapped his friend on the shoulder as they walked out of the gate room.


End file.
